Psalm 83 (KJV): They are confederate against thee

From Psalms

Psalm 83

¹Keep not thou silence, O God:
      hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.
²For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult:
      and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
³They have taken crafty counsel against thy people,
      and consulted against thy hidden ones.
⁴They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation;
      that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

⁵For they have consulted together with one consent:
      they are confederate against thee:
⁶The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites;
      of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
⁷Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek;
      the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
⁸Assur also is joined with them:
      they have holpen the children of Lot.      Selah.

⁹Do unto them as unto the Midianites;
      as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
¹⁰Which perished at Endor:
      they became as dung for the earth.
¹¹Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb:
      yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:
¹²Who said, Let us take to ourselves
      the houses of God in possession.

¹³O my God, make them like a wheel;
      as the stubble before the wind.
¹⁴As the fire burneth a wood,
      and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;
¹⁵So persecute them with thy tempest,
      and make them afraid with thy storm.
¹⁶Fill their faces with shame;
      that they may seek thy name, O LORD.

¹⁷Let them be confounded and troubled for ever;
      yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
¹⁸That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH,
      art the most high over all the earth.

This is about how all the enemies of the Isrealites collaborated together to try to defeat Isreal.  I would like to use this as a parable for the forces of addiction getting together to overtake the addict.  We are inundated with messages and situations where our addiction is constantly in front of us.  Pressures that constantly encourage us to give in to the temptation of our addiction.  Whether its a small party after work to celebrate a milestone...of course, you'd be letting the team down if you don't have a beer...or if you leave early.  Thankfully, I no longer have to believe any of that.

The pressures are all around.  They seem to work together.  It takes great strength to overcome the pressure. It takes the strength of God.  Thankfully though there is God to hand this over to - and to pray for strength from.  Otherwise, I'm sure I would have acted out on my addictions this week...or next.  You see I have a business trip coming up.  Being away from home - away from visible accountability - would make it easy to act-out and justify it with some lie.  However, I remembered that God is everywhere and has his hand on me. (1 Thessalonians 1:4)  This brought me back to my sobriety before things got out of hand.

So I thank God that He knows when not to hold his peace.  I am grateful that He is strong enough defeat especially the most powerful enemies.  I am most thankful that God has a plan for me.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.